8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard with Joystick - N Edition Review

Design

Obviously, the nostalgic design is one of the main reasons to buy this keyboard. If you grew up with the original NES game console, you’ll love the look of this keyboard. The attention to detail with the gray and red accents and even the red “bulb” power light is definitely unlocking childhood memories for me. 8BitDo did a great job recreating the look of the NES console from the 1980s.

The keyboard uses Kailh Box White Switches V2 which are known for being loud, so you might not want to bring this keyboard to the office (or maybe you do if you would like to annoy your coworkers :-D). If you’re wondering what the difference is between V1 and V2 of these switches, it’s mainly that the V2 version has a slightly deeper sound. One thing to keep in mind is that this keyboard lacks backlighting. There is also no number pad on the right-side of the keyboard.

The keyboard also sits higher than other keyboards you may be used to, and there are no built-in adjustment “feet” to raise or lower the keyboard. You may want to consider a thick wrist pad with the keyboard if you find the height and angle to be uncomfortable.

In addition to the keyboard, you also get matching “B A” buttons and — exclusively in the BestBuy version — a matching joystick. The oversized “B A” buttons can be mapped to basically any keyboard combination. For example, you could map CTRL+C to one button, then CTRL+V to the other button, and then use the buttons for copy and paste. The “B A” buttons and joystick are not wireless and require a wired connection to the keyboard (which then transfers their usage wirelessly to your computer if using the dongle or Bluetooth).

Performance

The keyboard is great to type on and each key provides a satisfying click with each press. The keyboard has some weight to it as well as a rubber bottom to prevent the keyboard from moving around my desk, so it feels very stable while in use. Given the height and angle of the keyboard, you may find your fingers becoming fatigued faster than with a traditional laptop keyboard, for example. However, if you grew up with this style of keyboard in the 80s and 90s, your hands might feel right at home!

The keyboard can be connected via the USB-C cable for a wired connection, or wirelessly using the included dongle or Bluetooth. The switch on the top-left of the keyboard allows you to select which connection method you want. There is configuration software available for download to customize key mappings and macros, but it will work fine without the software installed.

Battery Life

The keyboard contains a 2,000mAh battery that can last up to 200 hours (8.3 days) of usage time and takes about 4 hours to recharge fully. You can plug in the keyboard with a USB-C data cable and use it while charging if need be.